Begonia plant named ‘KRBETWH01’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘KRBETWH01’ characterized by its broadly upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; moderately freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; semi-double and double-type male flowers that are white in color and held above and beyond the foliar plane; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia x hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KRBETWH01’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Assignee, Koppe Royalty B.V. of Putten, The Netherlands on Nov. 3, 2020, application number 2020/2762. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia x hiemalis, commercially referred to as an Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KRBETWH01’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Ermelo, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching Begonia plants with excellent postproduction longevity and attractive flower color.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia x hiemalis ‘Betulia Bright Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,842. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Betulia Bright Pink’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands in December, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands since April, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KRBETWH01’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KRBETWH01’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Moderately freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Semi-double and double-type male flowers that are white in         color and held above and beyond the foliar plane.     -   7. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘Betulia Bright Pink’, in flower color as plants of the new Begonia have white-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Betulia Bright Pink’ have bright red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia x hiemalis ‘White Netja’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Ermelo, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of ‘White Netja’ in plant form as plants of the new Begonia are broader and more rounded than plants of ‘White Netja’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘KRBETWH01’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) are close up views of the upper (right) and lower (left) surfaces of typical leaves and flowers of ‘KRBETWH01’, and in the center of the photograph is a close-up view of typical flower buds.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 11-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Ermelo, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Begonia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C. Plants were three months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia x hiemalis ‘KRBETWH01’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia x     hiemalis ‘Betulia Bright Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     16,842. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 20 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About five weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white to orangish             brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density; plants of             the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Broadly upright and mounded plant             habit; overall plant shape, spherical to flattened             spherical.         -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit             and moderate growth rate; suitable for 9-cm and larger             containers; under optimal environmental and cultural             conditions, usually about eleven weeks from rooted cuttings             are required to produce proportional plants in 11-cm             containers.         -   Branching habit.—Moderately freely branching with about             three primary branches each with about four secondary             branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 27.7             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 29.9             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 37.4 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16.3 cm. Diameter: About 8.5             mm to 9 mm. Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Strength:             Moderately strong. Aspect: Erect to about 60° from vertical.             Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent; moderately glossy.             Color, developing: Close to 146C; surfaces exposed to             sunlight are tinged with close to 176C. Color, developed:             Close to 179A to 179B tinged with close to 148B to 148C;             surfaces exposed to sunlight are darker, close to 178B; at             the internodes, close to 178B. Lenticels: None observed on             plants of the new Begonia to date.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About             12.4 cm. Width: About 11.2 cm. Shape: Broadly cordate to             broadly unequal cordate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Cordate             to oblique, lobes free and not imbricate. Margin: Crenate to             serrate; moderately undulate and slightly crisped. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Mostly smooth, glabrous with sparse pubescence along the             veins; slightly velvety; moderately glossy. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to between NN137A and 147A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 148B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Darker than between 139A and 147A; venation, close             to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to             between 147B and 191A; venation, close to 146A to 146B.             Petioles: Length: About 6.8 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to             6 mm. Strength: Low, flexible. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent; moderately glossy.             Color, upper surface: Close to 176A; distally, strongly             tinged with close to 178A. Color, lower surface: Close to             176B; distally, strongly tinged with close to 183B.             Stipules: Quantity and appearance: Two leafy stipules at the             base of each leaf. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 7 mm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Broadly             cuneate. Margin: Finely ciliate. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146D to lighter than 146D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Single and double-type male             rotate flowers arranged in axillary cymes; to date, female             flower development has not been observed on plants of the             new Begonia; typically about nine flowers per cyme, numerous             cymes in flower simultaneously and about 675 flowers             developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly and             are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             the spring into the autumn in The Netherlands; plants begin             flowering about five weeks after pinching.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 11 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: Ranging from             about 6 mm to 17 mm. Shape: Obovate, flattened. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Color: Close to             between 145D and 150D.         -   Male flowers.—Diameter: About 3.4 cm. Depth: About 2.6 cm.             Tepals: Quantity and arrangement: About four arranged in two             whorls. Length, inner whorl tepals: About 2.5 cm. Length,             outer whorl tepals: About 3 cm. Width, inner whorl tepals:             About 2.8 cm. Width, outer whorl tepals: About 3 cm. Shape:             Broadly obovate to roughly orbicular. Apex: Mostly rounded.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire, not undulate. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety;             matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety; slightly glossy. Color, inner whorl             tepals: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to between 155C and 157D; venation, close to 157A; color             does not change with subsequent development. When opening,             lower surface: Close to between 155C and 157D; towards the             base, close to 157D; venation, close to 157A; color does not             change with subsequent development. Color, outer whorl             tepals: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 157C; venation, close to 157A; with subsequent             development, color becoming closer to 157A, towards the             base, close to 145B and distally tinged with close to 41D to             lighter than 41D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 157A             to 157B; towards the base, close to between 145D and 157A;             venation, close to 157A; with subsequent development, color             becoming closer to 145D, towards the base, close to 145B and             distally tinged with close to 41D. Tepaloids: Quantity and             arrangement per flower: Variable, up to 15 per flower             arranged in up to four whorls. Length: About 3 mm to 24 mm.             Width: About 2.5 mm to 23 mm. Shape: Obovate to obcordate.             Apex: Obtuse to retuse. Base: Cuneate to attenuate. Margin:             Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; matte. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 157B; towards the             base, close to 145C to 145D. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 145D; towards the base, close to 145C. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155C; towards the             base, close to 145C; venation, similar to lamina color;             color does not change with subsequent development.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Two positioned at             the top of the peduncle. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About             1.3 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Praemorse. Base: Broadly             cuneate. Margin: Finely ciliate. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A; venation,             close to 143B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm to             4.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from             lateral branch axis. Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent;             glossy. Color: Close to 146C to 146D; proximally, tinged             with close to 184A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 30° from peduncle             axis. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; moderately             glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens (present on male flowers only):             No stamens observed as all stamens transformed into             tepaloids. Pistils (present on female flowers only): To             date, no female flower development has been observed on             plants of the new Begonia. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed             and fruit development have not been observed on plants of             the new Begonia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and     pests common to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of     the new Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures about 35° C. and to be suitable for     USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘KRBETWH01’ as illustrated and described. 